User blog:Illusive Dream/Female Characters - Design, what they are, what they aren't
Welcome to the Theatre! Greetings and bienvenue, (bitches)! So awhile back I figured I'd cover this topic that you are reading now. It's not going to be hard to cover, but I'm sure it won't be so easily received. Mainly because... I don't trust people to actually much with the knowledge they intake, rather, they just let it go through one ear and out the other. But hey, if you want to prove me wrong, give this blog a read and try to change your wicked ways! So, here's the down low. Most females on this site, are poorly made, given little purpose, and are just support ragdolls in most cases. A trophy, a tool, and all around, the female character portrayal on this site (of the massive plethora of characters here that need deleted...) is immensely lacking. In one way, or another, most of you users have failed in creating an interesting Kunoichi on this wiki. So, on to the topics ahead, and they will be quite extensive. Female Characters A woman is defined by many things. An emotional creature, or at least, one with emotions closer to the surface. She is strong; members of the planet Venus. Adamant and powerful, holding much sway. Able to stand toe to toe with her male counterpart, the opposing gender. And yet, this wiki has pretty much defamed that. Having scoured this cesspit for long enough of a time, I have found so many Kunoichi that are not only extremely unimportant, but are only created as a means to boost the male user's ego. (and thereby, extending to his characters). If I had my way, they'd all be deleted. These pathetic little attempts to boost one's ego. Now that I have gotten a bit of my rage out of the way, let's talk about the role females have had in anime and other similar culture. While there are so many stereotypes and tropes to choose from, I'll stick to the popular one's that seem to favor the action genres. (There is no need for me to get into Hentai, that's a dark... tentacley pit that we shall not speak of). Da Tropes *'The Shy Girl': Now this one... oh boy. This one right here, pissed me off from the very beginning. Cliché, boring, and entirely all too common. She and the Buxom Beauty are the two most common form of women in anime and manga. Given little personality, and even though background may be provided... rest assured, they were created by their author's hand for but one reason. To support the protagonist, and be his object of affection. Her blushing cheeks, her more then likely cute disposition, her sparkling eyes - all of them meant to draw in the readers to fall in love with the innocent little angel who could do no harm. :But oh? What's this? She's in trouble? Again?! Boy, aren't we all surprised, let's go rescue her! Again. Or, well, we could always ignore her and let her become obsessed with us (Typical bad boy stereotypes, don't cha' know?), only choosing to save her so we seem more and more badass. And well, one day she'll get laid, but really, it's only to empower the protagonist. See, the bad thing about being a defenseless and bland character means that you're bound to be in these situations (for all eternity, until the series ends with some sort of happily ever after shit, in which case, ever cookie cutter fan will squeal in joy). :Example, Lady Illusive? Why yes, I shall give you some. * Hinata Hyūga: To anyone on this wiki, it'd be laughable of me if I didn't include everyone's favorite Hyūga. And while she may have some personality, and well, it's hard not to fall in love with her (that's the role of her trope, silly, you've fallen prey to her ways), she is still a perfect example of the shy girl stereotype. From the very beginning, she was made to draw users to see the same light she saw in Naruto. All the while being adorable. With an imperfect past, at first, she held some form of character on her own. And that moment when she decided to fight Yahiko to save her beloved Naru-kun? That was pretty epic, I admit. However, unless she decides to come out as something a bit more then the atypical submissive female, she's still in the category of boring and bland stereotypes running rampant. :And while they are indeed many more, I suggest you to read this page, and the many conjoining it for a list of the -MANY- females that are akin to Lady Hinata. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ShyBlueHairedGirl :Now, I will say this much - by all means, people like this can exist, they do. But, not to the extent and to the disappointment that has been made over the years. "They have a purpose", most might say. True, but it's boring and that character could be scrapped for someone 10x as interesting. "They have personality/background/cool powers", some might say. To an extent - but never really developing into their own, because the shy submissive girl is DESIGNED for a SINGLE purpose: to be a support ragdoll for the male protagonist. With that said, I have seen too much of these silly shy girls running around here on the wiki, tis a pity. *'The Ravishing Buxom Beauty': Say hello to the beauty that everyone notices, and few can have. Well, except the male character, be he a protagonist or antagonist. Wide spread across the fanon, this woman holds but one feature that drives a user to choose her as the 'lover' for his male ego. That being, the sexual appeal. And while previously, I touched on the submissive fem trope many conjoining it, this one takes the cake in terms of popularity here. Most, if not all of the females, are drop dead gorgeous. Not to say that women are not beautiful; not to say that this is not alright for a user to choose an attractive woman. But, when coupled with a shallow personality, and little else then her body in terms for character, turn what could be a decent character, into a support ragdoll. :Women, are not personified, by their sexuality and physical beauty. In creating such an empty character, with minute personality and only a body (with abilities, because you guys don't want to be total douchebags), you are debasing the prospect of female characterization. You are literally, throwing the female gender into a bin of stereotype. This is to say, your choice in a prospect female, is just as shallow, as the character itself. Your image of a woman, is wrong, by all definitions. They are not just a sexual image to ogle and abuse, as has been done countless times in written format. Female characters, are subjugated time - after time - after time, to being a simple plot tool, with a body, and a small amount of personality in order to support the male character. This happens all too often, with a male hero falling in love with a female character, who - oh, look at that. Is beautiful, and receives little to no spotlight of her own. :"She isn't a main character, so who cares if she get's spotlight?" - The problem being, you have made a woman into a ragdoll support, just as the submissive trope is. I would like for the support characters, to have vibrant character, and life in them. Women, most of all, because they are currently lacking the most, in terms of popular culture and mixed forms of media. Shonen, is the best example, to distribute to you, females constructed of two things - a beautiful body, and a tiny degree of personality. :Examples? Yes, yes, I'm already on it. You probably have a ton on your mind, feel obligated to post perfect examples of the "Body > Personality" issue in females. Let me unveil, the fitting character out of Shonen to express this. Lady Tsunade... Sakura... Mei Terumi. All with great potential, and while I want to love them for just their bodies... I can't. They have been turned into supports, or forgotten entirely. Even the uniqueness that Tsunade once held, is now lobbed off and handed to Sakura. In a means to give Sakura "something", because she literally had nothing special about her. This in itself, does not help her case. A pity really, that most male authors, favor creating busty women; only to leave them as just that. Busty women. No soul. *'Perfectly Innocent': To this, I must ask, "Why?" The perfectly innocent trope, occuring all too often, is a form of "Purity Sue". The oh so innocent, never bad, good girl. In who's right mind, was this ever labeled as a good idea? No girl - is going to be that perfect. She's not going to blindly follow you, as the submissive does. She's not going to be all beauty and no brains. And she's not going to be so crystal clear and clean, that you could see through her. This version of magnified purity, rots the users ability to comprehend that all young girls are like this (a majority of the time, they will be below the age of 21). False... and double false. No one is as perfect as this trope, and in fact, who would ever be? Most of us go through an age of rebellion; brought about by curiosity, or whatever. We all have thoughts, that will not perfectly align with the ideal of "good". And we all have thoughts, that definitely don't make us as chaste as this girl is trying to fool you into believing. :To put it bluntly - stop trying to make this picture perfect image of a completely chaste and innocent girl, who, in your mind, can do no wrong. That is NOT possible, ever! Every person will do wrong things! She's not this stupid little fantasy you have in your head! Girls are not like that! Who the hell ever put that into the idea of a man? :I'll tell you why you think that. It's your ego. The male ego, attempts to personify a woman, in all the ways he desires, because he craves an object of affection. And while the details may vary, who doesn't want a girl that is perfect in every way? Fasten your seat-belt, girls aren't as ditzy and innocent as you are making them. Stop, for the love of god. Stop. :Want an example? This girl, right here... has tainted the world of Bleach, for the longest time. She's innocent, she thinks no mean thoughts, no negative! She's the shy girl, and comprises large levels of beauty. All of which, I covered above. It's sad... throughout every Arc she's been apart of, she's been not only worthless, but only a plot developer and a means to support the cast. Urohime Inoue, has plagued readers of Bleach, with a sense that there is this "perfect girl". She's always in trouble, she's as pure as light, and you are the one to save her. :For the record, no girl exists like this. None. You may want to believe that there are girls like Urohime out there, but there isn't. And if there is? She's fucking retarded. Have fun with that. :-Flips through folder-, Next! *'Bitch All Around': No, this isn't me. I know what you are thinking, jerks. The "Bitch All Around" is the trope that occurs when a male author attempts to alternate a female character so dramatically away from the common stereotypes, that he ends up with the EXACT opposite, which can be JUST AS BAD. Call her... Tsundere. This girl, is the one who is nothing but faults, aggressive, and uber dominant. The woman that doesn't shit from no and will frequently show it! Sadly, however, this turns this stereotype down the road of the sociopaths. She's grim. She's dark. She's likely a buxom beauty. And she has no soul (both metaphorically, and literally). :Now... I will expand on this female a bit more then just ranting. Her design, is meant to be a "Kickass"/"Takesnobullshit" kind of character, and that's just fine. But. You've gone too far. She's so far beyond repair, that her character is boring and predictable. Common, in fact. She's the result of the male author, when he realizes his past ways are wrong. Let's call her the "Phase 2" of progression towards an actual female character. She's flawed, as she should be. But it's so flawed, that it's hardly believable. The Bitch is likely to be angsty, and more then often she'll be playing the role of the "Bad-girl" stereotype if the male protagonist is a pushover. Let's reduce her sexual appeal by... well. The Bitch always has a Buxom Beauty of over 9000, so let's reduce it below that and go from there. Secondly, she's not pure evil, she does have good sides to her as well. :Well, now that we see this. Let's try to meet a medium shall we? : For an example, let's go with: Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri (I know it's a mouthful, but I believe she best fits this catagory. She's a support role, no real personality, and a pawn chess piece in the terms of story developement she offers). I know N will disagree with me on this, more then likely. But, no matter whether she was controlled by the spell of the man she lusted over or not, she was still a total heartless bitch with no real soul. :I honestly feel that Fate Zero could have done so much better with her character, you know, attempted to give her life. But she wasn't. She was another stereotype, blinded my the common affliction of love, towards a male character. (C'est la vie). :Here is her link: http://typemoon.wikia.com/wiki/Sola-Ui_Nuada-Re_Sophia-Ri and this is the series she is from: http://typemoon.wikia.com/wiki/Fate/Zero. It is in my opinion, the best anime you will ever come across. It's art and design are crested into perfection, story wise it is magnificent. With a huge carde of characters, that you will love and hate, and be more then capable of relating with... you'll catch yourself falling in love with the entire story. It is featured on Hulu, so if you are interested, I suggest you look there. (Sorry for the sponsorship, I just love that shit). :In anycase, my point with this trope is simple. Don't force your female character to a total bitch, just because you want to steer away from the tropes I listed above. Even though this one is -allowable-, does not mean you should attempt such. Details and Descriptions Females, not too long ago, would be described as the weaker sex in all cases. Made to be submissive, housewives, and so on. And if they didn't tend to their subjugation? Then they were relegated to the title of "Witch", later "Bitch", and the list goes on. But, times have changed. And so we all should as writers, no longer describe the female character as the stereotypes of the past. That's it, move on, let's go! Female characters should be just as unique and interesting as your male. Will she be different? Yes. A woman is a tender, but firm hand. Strong in mind, as she can be in body. She can easily contend with pain, as she is designed for it, more so then her male counterparts. Females are empathetic by nature, grown near emotions. While males, are different in such regards. They are logically inclined, and more towards solving the problem, then actually dealing with the emotions involved. Are Not: If you want to create an original, unique, and strong female character, I suggest you follow the do's and don't below. It is up to you to follow the guidelines I am listing. I only wish to steer you from the failures of the past; so yeah. Read the below, and take notes. *Are not to be sexualized :*Meaning they are not to have their breasts jiggle at every turn and step :*Meaning they are not meant to have their tits poking through their shirt :*Or have visible panties or thongs :*Or worse... nothing. ^^ *Are not to be a submissive shygirl :*By extension, this means no perfectly innocent sweetheart *Are not epitomized around their bitchiness *:Meaning, not every female that isn't submissive or shy, is a bitch by default >_> *Are not going to be a support for your male protagonist *:Stop making pointless lovers for your character. *Are not going to be filled with absurd levels of adoration for your male *:There has to be a good damn answer if you even attempt this. Are To Be: *Are to be a character of their own, not a support for your male protagonist. Each character deserves life, females especially. Independent. (We've received enough ill treatment) :*Are to have personality and soul. Character, just as they are. :*Capable of defending themselves, not prone to being rescued 24/7. (or the one ALWAYS put into dire state) :*Alive and well, killing them off just to drive your hero into a state of dark time, aggression, or "going hero" is a huge strike. *As strong as their male counterparts, or more so. *More then just healers. More then just sensory. More then just back up. :* This is to avoid the "Magic Girl Trope" that befalls most female characters. Basically, if they are an actual character, they usually fall prey to being a fairy girl, or magical oriented. Usually white magic (healer). This is to say, they can not be other roles, which is NOT true at all. The Problem With all the provided above, we can see where have gone wrong in the past. Our characters, over sexualized (for the author's pleasure, not for any actual reason in character). We've turned female characters into supports, lovers, and housewives. And worse, we've relegated them into a state of superfluousness. They are by all means: In the wiki, but at the same time, non existent or empty. Our job now, is to fix it. How can we do that? How can we improve? I wish I had all the answers, and I wish I was the best author for this topic. But, I am not. I can only give my all, and hope for the best. *crosses fingers* Here's to hoping you guys receive something from this entire blog and guide. Fixing It, Illustration There is no simple answer for this, so I'll do my best to provide illustrations and options in which to convey research. Aids to develop your character. Let us from here on, take example, and create strong/interesting female represents. Personality Breakdown What makes a strong woman? What makes a character interesting? Well, that entirely depends on the author. But, allow me to show you some key traits that can aid you. *Drive: What pushes your female forward? A drive, is your heart and soul, powering an engine towards a place or objective. We all have it, and females should definitely have mention of it somewhere in their character. Do they want to reach a status? Become a master of a certain fighting style? Maybe your female's objective is more casual then conquering the world or becoming a kung fu expert. If that's the case, trend her towards areas that don't subject her to super-feminism or sexism. (Flowers, shops, restaurants are the first that come to mind that you shouldn't attempt). Give her a goal, whether it's complex or simple. Maybe she doesn't even know herself, even if you do? *Flaws: Every one has them, so please apply them to your female character. Whether it's a nervous tick, an OCD, or maybe it's just a distaste of certain people? Whatever the case, a woman has habits and personalities that won't be to everyone's liking. And let's be honest, as a whole, humans are generally 75% flaw v.s 25% good. So let's take that to heart, and realize these characters are just as a real as we are. And even if they are given a more dynamic lifestyle, doesn't make these women any less subject to negatives. *Good v.s Bad Tips: Okay, so now you probably have an idea of what alignment your character is. Generally, this alignment will dictate your character down a certain path, and certain traits. However, treat an alignment, as a set of guidelines, NOT as a set of strict rules to adhere to. :*I will be using Ayako Gozen for an example: She favors a Lawful Evil alignment, strict, disciplened. Beautiful and as deadly as the blade she carries. If she's for an evil country, she serves an evil master, and has chosen an evil path, then clearly she must be all bad? Wrong. If you look throughout history, you will find that many people do bad things, for the right reasons. Ayako, while she has been swayed to a more totalitarian set of ways, does so for the sake that she will have a safeguard against opposition to her growing country. She believes that religious ideals set back the development of a country, and wishes to see it grow, so she aids it by removing the traditions of the Fief she has occupied. All the while, even though she still serves the Mist, and fights on with all valiance towards it's glory, she does so for but a single reason. Once Kirigakure has become strong enough, (this is her Drive), she will pursue retribution against those that framed her for the crime against the Daimyo, she was sworn to protect with her life (many years ago, in her backstory, you guys should be keeping up with this :P). :So there we have it. Ayako, while an evil alignment, is not an evil character. She has aspirations, hopes, and dreams. She has likes, and dislikes. A just goal all in all. But again, wrong methods, right causes. The same can be said for good guys. Good methods, wrong cause, and this can be in itself, a plot developer in disguise. (The best examples for all I listed above can easily be noted in FMA, Fate/Zero, and Death Note). :Steer away from the stereotypes, when it comes to alignment. While they may be classics, doesn't make for an interesting character. Females should be given quite a bit of effort, as to avoid the "Total Bitch"/"Crazed Mad Woman" archetype that trends female villains, just as the "Innocent Shygirl" should be avoided for good oriented women. Background Breakdown This is key to creating your female, (or any character). Every character is different, but what defines a woman in the present? The past, and the cards she has been dealt. The past changes what a girl will shape into as she matures. It will guide her alignment, alter her personality, and set her down a maze of paths from which to choose. Treat your female's background as something more then just a means to fill in space on your page. Your Kunoichi should have some sort of conflict, as conflict arises, so too does she resolve. Whether this increases her inner tension against herself, or whether she chooses to be okay with certain factors; varies. *Key Events: All women have them. Those few moments in life, that change our outlook on life forever. While outside eyes may have labeled the event as small, (And indeed, it may have been), to her, it was something much more. Maybe it was a chain of events that lead to a climax. Maybe it was nothing, and her own inner mechanisms lead her to a conclusion about life (We are complex creatures). :* For an example I'll use Maka Albarn from the series Soul Eater. :This girl right here, has developed amazingly over the course of the Soul Eater series. Originally, while sharing a few tropes with the common female archetypes in Shonen, she later developed out of, and became her own unique person. From being dependent on her comrade, holding insecurity; she later blossomed into a strong young woman that could stand up for herself. Making independent decisions that would shape her life and mold her into a true member of the cast. She has deserved her rightful place as Protagonist, in my opinion. But what made her change? What made her character so different from when she began? :Unlike most examples I can give, of which, are characters that are already developed. Maka Albarn is one of the few that you grew with during the story. You were reading her key moments, and you could feel what she felt. (One of the things I love about Soul Eater, is it's ability to relate with you and pull your emoitions up to the surface). The key moment, that I believed made Maka into who she currently is, was her realization that she could not reliant on others. The events that followed this revelation, tested her willpower in this decision. In two key battles, Maka had to display her own skill and resolve, to which she met the challenge. Nearly dying in one of these events, it shaped her into the strong cast member she is now. *Details, Details...: So, let me make mention of this feature in backgrounds. You may be thinking: "Hey, who cares about the small stuff?" Women. Women do. What a male might discard, a woman will not. Happen chance to a male, will be deduced off as such, and cast aside in most cases. (This is a majority thing, I am not talking about ALL men, shush) To a female, she will not simply let that roll off her. Her relationships are important, the people in her life play a role. Her life is valued, the events in it matter. Put some effort in emphasizing her relations with others, and what she in turn, means to them. This will help you deduce how to shape her in the future, and where her relationships will go. Either naturally, or by your hand. Ability Set Breakdown This section will be more or less to cover the atypical stereotypes and how to be different from the rest. *Avoid Me, Avoid Me!: Healers, fairy girls, and paladins, oh my! If it's not that, it's the seductress warlock. If it's not that, it's the mindless "Let my fists do the talking" girl. All of these, are stereotypes in which you should avoid. And while in the Naruto-verse, you won't really have that problem, you can still fall into similar pitfalls. Don't relegate a Kunoichi into these mundane rolls, just because they fit your ideal of a female cast member. Women are much more then these roles, and even then, being placed in these sexist classes is getting old. *Drink Me, Try Me!: Try something new when you create a female, just as you would with ALL of your male characters. Whether she's a swordsmen, a lancer, a Earth Release expert. Maybe she's a Monk? Whatever the case, give your female something different. Don't try to overtly be a snowflake, of course. (I'm so sick of KG, you have no idea). But it would be a lovely change if you didn't always pick the typical classes, and be unique and driven for a change in developing her ability sets. Strong Female Portrayal Fanon Examples Akemi.jpg|'Akemi Hyuga' Koyone.png|'Koyone Takamori' Nextchar27.jpg|'Shima Date' Akemi Hyuga: While I shouldn't need to express why I chose these four, I will do so for your pleasure. These four girls, albeit, quite young, are the seeds of strong women in the making. Each in their own regard, has special qualities, and unique designs that earned them the right to be featured in my blog. Akemi, stands strong amid the four. :Prodigal child, heiress of Konoha, child of Hinata Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki of legend. From the get go, Akemi was subjugated to the pressure that the fame of her parents brought her. Born for greatness, and servant to it's desires, Akemi felt from a young age that she had rise to the expectations of those around her. Imagine the pressure it would be, just to step into her shoes. Your entire existence, would be forced upon you. And Akemi took the mantle of heiress in stride, with each day a challenge. :A sign of a developing woman, more so, she's being molded into a strong harbinger of the future Kunoichi. Her future changing course, due to the inconsistency of her parent's resolve. Handed off to her aunt, Hanabi Hyuga, the current Head of the Hyuga Clan, she was given the rough treatment. Given a forgotten style, archaic to the noble clan. It was a means of appeasement, to give the girl what she desired, but not truly. And while Akemi could have easily thrown down the towel, she didn't. Her first key moment. :While life may have been hard, from an outside point of view... it wasn't so tough looking. There this girl was, daughter to the Hokage, spoiled princess. Given everything she wanted. Boys and girls flocked to her. Shinobi sought to teach her. All wanted to play a part in the legend in the making, or atleast, a byproduct of a legend. In whatever regards, it looked and felt as if Akemi was sitting in the lap of luxury, and merely scoffing at it. Even to her team, that's how she would appear. A spoiled little brat, handed everything she ever desired, with little to no regards of the effects. :You couldn't be more wrong. Akemi saw through their actions, the falsehoods their eyes set free. While young, she was not naive. She was not innocent as they saw her. Akemi had to struggle and claw for every inch of honesty. With the introduction of her mentor, Haruno Sakura, things only got harder. This woman, gave her no leeway. If she faltered, she was not given pity. She was pushed harder. "Again!", I'm sure Haruno would cry out, hoping to see Akemi push herself to the limits in training. And at last, whenever the Hyuga Heiress earned the right to be praised, she was given a just nod, confirmed respect. :In terms of personality, we can see that Akemi bares strong traits. Willpower, resolve, and a firm grasp on reality. While young, she is keen and sharp. And though she may come as a bitch to her allies, it's only because she desires the truth out of them. I see her very nature, as a passive call to reality. She doesn't want the cards she was dealt, but she plays them anyways. A tough girl, growing into a strong woman. :Ability wise, Akemi is a proficient user of the Gentle Fist, even though it is an ancient and time lost version. This twist on the technique set, has granted Akemi a new way of approaching combat. Coupled with, a rather unique form of healing, we will one day see this girl becoming a power house on the field of battle. And while, when I heard the term "Medic" for a female character... I wanted to throw an entire library worth of books DIRECTLY at Void... he proved me wrong. He turned a cliche inside out, and made it worth reading. :To her comrades, we can see that Akemi is unsure. The lizard girl, Shima Date, like Sakura, is one of the few to oppose her. But not just oppose, but shove her back! This negative impact turned into another driving factor in Akemi's training and life. Out of all the people Akemi ever wanted to prove wrong, or to impress, it is the ones that dare say neigh, the ones that don't fawn over her. The true comrades. And while they be rivals, it can be assured that they will grow as strong companions, challenging each other along the way. :Akemi Hyuga has a lot of expected of her. Both in-character, and out here in the realm of "Author City". We await to see the potential, and hope that this girl makes an impact on the Ninja World, and the Fanon. No pressure! Koyone Takamori: Born from the cruelty of the Fourth War, we find a lone girl, sitting on the corner of a wooden porch, huddled with her knees pressed against her chest. Eyes of soft red, staring into the rain that drizzled, catching in the rafters and falling to the ground. It wasn't too long ago, that her parents had been slain, leaving her alone with her older brother, Kyōshi Takamori and her grandfather. This had become her home, the Village of Hidden Leaves. At first, it was a means to escape the events of the War that devastated the nations, but now, it felt more like a prison the white haired girl. What was this place, if she had no family to share it with? Any chances at a normal life had been plucked away. This revelation, at such a tender age, lead her to maturity more quickly then other children her age. And while she sat here, her brother had gone through the academy, training to become a Shinobi so that he could defend her. And... Koyone? She was stuck with her grandfather, and though she cared for him, she stewed in irritation at her situation. She couldn't stand letting her brother fight for her, this wasn't how she could live her life, as a civilian. She had to fight, she had to prevail. She had to be there, alongside the others, alongside her brother. Sadly, she would not be able to, until another tragedy was struck, and her grandfather was killed in a mugging. Koyone, while sad, had developed through the series of tragedies. She did not give into the weakness of fear. The signs of a strong woman, acknowledging the desire to stand up for yourself. So that she did not have to rely on others. This moment, this key moment, was her deciding factor. Her drive, was to become a Kunoichi, and while the goal was vague, it was absolute. Koyone, had formed resolve. Her time at the academy, was tenuous, and her relationship with the other academy students there, she isolated herself. Being known as anti-social, and as an Ice-queen, in certain regards. One can imagine that she was bitter about the past; but those people would be wrong. Koyone was focused, she had drive, and she wanted to move forward, carving her own path. We would see one day, that her talents as a Kunoichi, were exemplary. A , proficient with , and an intelligent young woman, we find that Koyone was shaping up to be a fine Shinobi. Passing from the Acedemy with flying colors. Something to which, I was glad to see, from an OOC view. Seeing a female character, take spotlight in her surroundings, without being a dominating force, nor a mary-sue, was a highlight of my day. Now in a brave new world, Koyone works together with her comrades in the Chunnin Exams, newly forging allies, Akemi Hyuga and Shima Date. Though she has not been use to the pact they have made as a team, she has began to work beside them. An all female team, powering through the phases. For the future, I predict Koyone will shape into a valuable piece for Konohagakure. A Kunoichi of wisdom, using her talents, her keen mind, to shape the future of her village. And over time, we shall see if Koyone steps up to the plate, becoming one of the best Kunoichi, this village has ever seen. Shima Date: This example is written by Njalm2 at the request of the original author. Shima Date strikes me as one of the less archetypal female characters on this site, while most women seem to be made with an undue focus on their feminity, beauty and their relevancy to a male character - Shima focuses on none of these things. Where other female characters are soft and well-endowed, Shima is hard and scarred. One of the chief differences between Shima and other women, is that Shima actually happens to be hideously deformed as a consequence of her Kekkei Genkai, her mouth is that of an alligator, extraordinary for close combat, not so great for socializing or being a damsel in distress. Women are after all largely supposed to be passive, inferior and overdependant on males in their life, for their perceived weakness is really one of their most endearing features among men who feel that having a "weak" spouse somehow reinforces their own manhood. The whole bullshit about "protection of women" has always struck me as being highly revolting and disgusting. Its good that Shima, and quite a few other characters on this fanon actually also happen to be accomplished shinobi; although they still find themselves overwhelmingly overshadowed by their male counterparts. Its unlikely that men would feel attracted to a woman which they felt did not possess any of that feminine charm which they've come to depend upon for their own self-gratification. Shima happens to be this lass, with jaws that can probably bite a grown man in half, and teeth dripping with venom, Shima seems to be a pretty extreme example of what a stereotypical woman is NOT. Thankfully, this seems to only really be on the surface, and Shima still has many qualities which prevent her from falling into the trap of being a stereotypical male character in a female body. Cause good characters are defined by their ability and often willingness to commit homicide, after all. Shima's got potential as a character, in that she has a pretty broad horizon and simply massive amount of options, whereas most characters tend to move in a fairly linear pattern from start to finish. Shima's progression is only really defined by Dream's actions, she could turn to become a ruthless criminal like she was originally intended, or she could settle down and get a home and someone to call family, like she's always wanted - these are but two of many possible routes that she can given. When it comes to her potential for personal improvement as a Kunoichi, Shima is likewise highly flexible as her unique and very well done bloodline provides her with endless options. In fact, I'd dare say that she's more flexible than pretty much any other character on the fanon, this includes Akemi Hyūga. I wonder though, what would happen if she killed and ate a summoned creature such as Gamabunta? Character-Examples Shonen Top Three topfourfem1.jpg|'Miria NO. 6, Claymore' topfourfem2.jpg|'Olivier Mira Armstrong, FMA' topfourfem3.jpg|'King Arthur the Saber, Fate/Zero' Miria No. 6, Claymore: Adamant soldier, squadron leader, strength at it's finest. Miria, is one of the few Claymore's that doesn't fall into one of the many pitfalls that the women portray. While most of them are strong, willful, and don't fall into a support cast role, they falter later on. Either becoming a mad woman, psychopath, psychobitch, and so on. To my happiness however, a few of the females shined brightest. Miria, being one of them. She cares for her allies, unlike most in the Organization. Forming bonds of friendship, and guiding even the lowest ranking Claymores under her command. While those her peers commonly saw the lower caste of the fighters as little else then fodder. Miria was not that person, she was the one who stood up for the weaker fighters, and lead them as a valiant and true captain. Her skills in battle, were like wise, just as impressive. A swordsmen that implemented the use of illusionary and speed based attacks. Confusing her enemies with a flurry of decisive blows, distracting them with pseudo attacks, hallucinations; adding to the confusion with the aid of real speed enhanced attacks, that could in turn, also replicate the effect. Her power and skill in battle, ranked her high on the charts in the ranks of the Claymore. However, it was her role as leader that inspired me most. A strong woman, in a strong role. From simple hunting parties, slaying Yoma and Awakened Beings, Miria lead the charge. Inspiring her platoon and companions to take bravery in hand. Charismatic, with a strong head on her shoulders. However, just as humans are flawed, so too did she perfectly represent this. Miria's pessimism sometimes mixed with her judgments and evaluations, revealing she had a true character underneath her role in the cast. Beautiful, but by no means sexualized, Miria became the love of my adventures in Claymore. With a grim tale of treachery and deception, she pulled me along the way to get caught up in the story, and feel what she began to feel. From the tragedy of the truth behind the Awakened Beings, to her eventual 'death'. One would later find this exemplary female taking command of a rebellion against the corruption of her previous superiors. Knowing that now, events must be changed, and sins corrected. Even her own. Miria, the Claymore NO. 6, is in my opinion, one of the strongest and most outstanding female one can find in Shonen. Don't believe me? Well, that's up to you. But if you truly want to see how this strong fem proves herself, I suggest you give the series of Claymore a watch, and a read. And prepare yourself, to get sucked in by the story and the power of the characters with in. After all, it's not my job to tell you everything; you need to find out for yourself. Olivier Mira Armstrong, FMA: Introducing, the kick-ass Major General, the Northern Wall of Briggs! She brings the sweet icing to the cake, a strong woman that emphasizes the role reversal. As well, her character screamed to me from the get-go, it screamed: "I'm not like the others." From the very first scene she played in, this Iron Wall of Briggs turned me into a huge fan. Knowing not only her power; but standing on it as a principle. This was her land, and no one was going to tell her how to run it, or what to do with those that ventured in it. Her personality, shown as a ice-queen, with traits manifesting throughout the series to show that she was both intelligent, willful, and had the soul the sacrifice for the greater good. It wasn't something you could argue; she simply -was- these things. And when a female can be that absolute in their character, it shows the indomitable law of who she was. And along the road, we found just how interesting and deep Briggs really was, she embodied feminine power. And no one dare stand in her way! From using her wiles, we found that she never had to use sexualization in order to efficiently manipulate the actions of a wicked man. And to that I say, Hoorah! She was using her femininity alone! She didn't have to be dressed in some half clad garment designed by some deprived male author! She fell free from that rule, and it made me quite happy to see it done correctly. In battle, we see this woman standing as the exact same principle as females should. Taking a charge, and fighting with the zeal and fervor (if not more) then the male cast around her. With unforgettable scenes, such as the ones with Mustang, her brother, the fight against Sloth, and her time at the North, we appreciate her place in the fem-verse in shonen. Bringing me happy memories, to see this bad-ass woman pull out a tank in a tiny hall to do her job in the most hilarious and direct way possible. Even her small talks with Mustang revealed a bit of deep value to her. And while the relationship with her brother may have been an iconic humor-bound one, I can gladly say "Thank you" for putting these bits of her out into the universe for me to enjoy. Do you dare say that she's not a strong woman? When she was by all means the exemplary title of such? Feminine, deep, strong, not placed in a support role, un-sexualized, and a stand alone on her own, I see Olivia Mira Armstrong as one of the finest women to take example from for Shonen. Don't believe me? Well, go watch some of her scenes again and watch the intensity unfold. You won't regret it. Non-Shonen Honorables topfourfem4.jpg|'Yuna the Summoner, Final Fantasy X' topfourfem5.jpg|'Liara T'soni the Shadow Broker, Mass Effect Trilogy' topfourfem6.jpg|'Joan of Arc the Saint, Hundred Years War' Up To You Don't Fuck It Up Category:Blog posts